In the nomenclature of junior hockey, the Mite level is for 7- and 8-year-olds. Cam Atkinson was told he was too small to play Mite. Think about that for a second. How can you be too small for Mite?

Michael Arace, The Columbus Dispatch

In the nomenclature of junior hockey, the Mite level is for 7- and 8-year-olds. Cam Atkinson was told he was too small to play Mite. Think about that for a second. How can you be too small for Mite?

“Obviously, I was the littlest guy,” Atkinson said. “The jersey went down to my ankles.”

Atkinson was the squirt of squirts, the pee-wee of pee-wees, the runt of bantams and the midget’s midget. Too small. He heard it in prep school, heard it when he was drafted in the sixth round in 2008, heard it in college.

“It got to a point where I heard it so many times, it either fed my motivation or rolled right off,” he said. “I was like, ‘Get a new line already.’?”

Over his last two seasons at Boston College, Atkinson scored more goals — 61 in 71 games — than any person of any size in college hockey. Those are Archie Griffin numbers.

Atkinson led BC to a national title in 2010. He was a Hobey Baker finalist (as the nation’s best player) in 2011. He forewent his senior year to sign with the Blue Jackets, joined the Springfield Falcons — and had three goals and five points in five American Hockey League games last spring.

Here he is now, still in Jackets camp. He is still 5 feet 7 (as listed by the team) and 173 pounds (as listed by the team). He is 22 years old and looks much younger, like maybe he is Ray Whitney’s cousin. He has Whitney’s brand of confidence; judge him by appearance at your own risk.

“It’s amazing to see some of the young kids who look younger than they really are, with those baby faces,” captain Rick Nash said. “I was one of those guys once. (Atkinson) has definitely surprised me. He has been one of the best players in camp.”

Atkinson remains a long shot to make the big club, but he will get some games in Columbus this season. Mark it down. He may not be quite as quick as, say, Martin St.?Louis. He may not have all the wares of, say, Brian Gionta. But he is fast, he is strong on the puck and he can flat-out shoot it.

“He has got a great shot,” goaltender Steve Mason said. “I can tell you that.”

As a kid, Atkinson had a Russian figure-skating coach as a power-skating instructor. He learned early how to use the four edges of his skates, and his low center of gravity, to remain upright in harsh traffic, and along the walls. And unlike most Canadian juniors, as a collegian he was afforded time to train with weights. He was fully sculpted once he turned pro.

His best attribute may be his nose for the puck. It loves him. He loves it. They tend to come to each other. Bigger men have tried to break that bond and, to this point, they have been largely unsuccessful.

“I was born this way, and there’s no changing it,” he said. “I work with what I’ve got. There are some benefits.”

Atkinson is among a group of young, skilled forwards on whom the Jackets are keeping a close watch. The group also includes center Ryan Johansen, Matt Calvert, Tomas Kubalik and high-scoring minor-leaguer Alexandre Giroux, among others.

They figure into a bigger plan, as coach Scott Arniel is toying with the idea of assembling three scoring lines. The more talent he has in the pipeline, the better the chance he has at doing this, sooner or later.

“We’ve talked about nine top-end guys going, spreading out the offense and using the last three (forwards) in a shut-down role,” Arniel said. “You need grit, but if you can put skill out there. … You look at the top teams, and they’re pretty deep.”

If Atkinson or one of the other young guns can, at some point, crack the top six, it will be much easier to lubricate this system. Think of it: R.J. Umberger is a top-six forward, but he can play anywhere and maintain a threat on special teams — so, how dangerous would the Jackets look with him on the third line?

No small thought, that.

Michael Arace is a sports reporter for The Dispatch.

marace@dispatch.com

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